Carton for fragile articles



March 15, 1966 R. F. ANDREINI 3,240,417

CARTON FOR FRAGILE ARTICLES Filed Nov. 18 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 IEA 1205527 I. AN RE/Ml INVENTOR BYQ/MMTW ATTORNEY March 15, 1966 I R. F. ANDREINI 3,240,417

CARTON FOR FRAGILE ARTICLES Filed Nov. 18, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 ISA INVENTOR. c' B05527 EANDQE/N/ Z/M W ATTORNEY March 15, 1966 R. F. ANDREINI 3,240,417

CARTON FOR FRAGILE ARTICLES Filed Nov. 18, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 R0552? I. ANDRE/NI INVENTOR.

I Z/WTW ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,240,417 CARTON FOR FRAGILE ARTICLES Robert F. Andreini, 12914 Correnti St., Pacoima, Calif. Filed Nov. 18, 1963, Ser. No. 324,376 3 Claims. (Cl. 229-14) This invention relates to containers, and particularly, although not exclusively, to cartons for fragile articles such as electronic devices including radio tubes, bottles, instruments, and others, whether having differently or similarly proportioned upper and lower portions.

Various types of cartons are commercially employed for the storage and shipment of fragile articles, especially of such items as sensitive electronic gear, radio parts, and bottled goods manufactured in mass production. Many of the cartons, particularly those made of carboard or corrugated board, are of such internal construction as to more or less firmly support the article, and yet keep it spaced from the sides of the carton so that the article may not be injured due to impacts directed against the sides of the carton. It has, however, been found that the supporting structure of the prior art, while keeping the fragile article centrally disposed within the carton, does not always provide a sufficiently yieldable or resilient support in a structure which is of a one piece simplified structure for ease in assembly and packaging of the goods.

It is within the contemplation of this invention to provide a carton wit-h the aforesaid shortcomings eliminated, and wherein a single blank structure may be folded upon itself to provide a carton incorporating an innersleeve forming a shock proof support for the contents, without the necessity of inserting anything extraneous to the one piece blank.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved means for cutting spacing tabs from the carton blank to assure proper presentation of the tabs as spacing means without attention of an operator.

A still further object of the invention is to provide for dimensional stability of the innersleeve under stress.

For a full understanding of the invention, a detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the carton will now be given in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the features forming the invention will then be specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view with portions broken away to reveal the nested structure of the carton with the tab cushion means, and with the product held in position by the dimension stabiliity means;

FIGURE 2 is a section taken as if along the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1, but of a modified detail concept;

FIGURE 3 is a top view in section taken along the lines 3--3 of FIGURE 1 with a portion of the dimension stability panel broken away to reveal the product within the interior of the package;

FIGURE 4 is a flat view of a blank for forming a container or carton embodying the invention in the preferred form;

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of the first stage of folding the blank of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a second stage of folding;

FIGURE 7 is a view of the final flat fold position as obtained by the complete construction of the carton, remaining fiat for storage and shipment prior to use; and

FIGURE 8 is a perspective view of the carton of FIG- URE 7 opened to reveal the cooperating structure, parts being broken away for complete revelation of the internal structure.

FIGURES 1 through 3 of the drawings show the finished product in use. Outer carton 10 envelopes and protects an inner filler 12, and the filler 12 is cushioned and 3,240,417 Patented Mar. 15, 1966 "ice centered within the outer filler by means of spacing devices in the form of tabs 14 at three corners of the inner filler, the fourth corner being an attachment edge.

The FIGURE 4 will make the development of the package understandable. The inner filler 12 is composed of four panels 16, 17, 18, and 19, joined at fold lines 20, 21, and 22. Thus, these four panels may be folded about the fold lines, and the ends joined to form a complete annular wall.

The tabs 14 are formed by cutting out a portion of the panels adjacent to the fold line. For example, a through opening 24 begins at the fold line 20 and proceeds into the body of panel 16, returning to the fold line a distance from the starting point. Thus, resultant tab 14 remains attached to the panel 17 and retains the planar position of the panel 17.

Cutting tabs of this nature at the corner of filler cartons has long been an accepted means of forming a cushion support. However, it has been customary to use cutting instruments to pierce the material without removing any of the material toform the through openings 24. According to this invention, it has been discovered that time delays in opening the finished package for insertion of the goods, and accidental paper cuts on the fingers of the packaging personnel, have resulted because an effort to open cartons using mere cuts has caused the tabs to cling to the parent stock, and refuse to open properly. Thus, especially with corrugated paper, the thickness of the material requires that there be a clearance in order that the tab can swing free of the parent stock. A more out does not provide this clearance. Hence, an effort to fold around a fold line where the tab does not have a proper clearance will result in breaking the tab along the fold line and result in the tab clinging to the planar position of the parent material. Thus, the cushioning effect is destroyed.

This invention provides for a through opening providing the clearance space 24. Thus, even though the manufacturing technique might permit the material cut from the space of the opening 24 to remain in situ, the material will be loosened and therefore when the fold is made, it will yield and fall from the area, and thus prevent clinging of the tab to the parent material.

This feature of providing clearance space is of the nature of a minute improvement that produces a benefit magnified beyond all apparent anticipated results. Cartons are generally shipped from the converter to the manufacturer in a fiat conditon for economy of shipping and storage at the manufacturers plant before the product is to be inserted. When it is desired to package the product in this carton, the operator is instructed to place a pressure in a diagonal direction across the carton to cause it to open. Cartons of this nature are expected to open with such pressure and the product inserted. However, as so often the case in the prior art structure, the cut tabs cling to the parent material and refuse to open properly. The operator must then insert a finger or hand into the carton and assisit the opening process. This results in delay, and even worse often results in paper cuts to the fingers of the operator necessitating a visit to the dispensary and loss of man hours on the assembly packaging line. Hence, the defect caused by retained tabs is far greater than would normally be assumed. The loss is a large economic loss. This invention has solved that problem completely, and cartons made according to the instructions given and illustrated, never cause a tab retention or need to have the operator insert fingers into the carton for assistance.

The outer carton 10 and the inner filler 12 are joined by a fold strip 26 which establishes the division of the two distinct portions of the container blank. This strip is from the nearest outer carton wall.

3 divided from the outer carton 10 by a fold line 27, and from the inner filler 12 by the fold line 28.

In the particular embodiment of invention illstrated,

the inner filler 12 is folded first around the fold line 27 to overlay the outer carton 10. Then, the panels 16 and 17 are folded around the line 21 to form a return fold of these two panels to overlay the panels 18 and 19. This condition is illustrated in the FIGURES and 6.

A glue panel strip 29 is coated with a fast drying adhesive material, and this strip 29 falls against the outside of the pannel 19, directly adjacent to the strip 26. Thus, the inner filler 12 is now completed as an annular Wall, but flattened into superposed position. Pressure along the plane of these walls will result in stress concentration at the fold lines, and the opening of the inner filler into an open annular wall member capable of receiving the product. The original fold along the line 21 will open the tabs 14 from the parent stock, and the later opening of the carton when filling will cause the separation or the remainder tabs along the fold line 20 and .22.

Shipping cartons are subject to stresses tending to cause them to collapse back into their original flat condition.

Thus, if pressure is placed across diagonal corners, un-

less the carton is very strong to resist the forces, it will distort and fail to protect the material contained therein.

Normally, closure caps on the outer carton will give some strength to that protective shell. However, this invention provides for a dual function of supporting a product within the inner filler and giving dimensional stability. Prior art cartons have employed panels attached .to the inner filler in the position of panels 15 and 15A, for the purpose of providing division walls and extra compartments in order that two separate objects may be packaged in the same carton. This invention provides for brace panels 15 and 15A to be dimensioned to fit closely within the top and bottom area of the opened carton to form support walls spaced a distance Note the fold lines 30 which divides the panel 15 into side strips 31 and center panel 33. By this means, the panel 33 may be positioned a distance from the top and bottom edge of the inner filler equal to the width of the strips 31, and also, the folded brace panel 15 will thus have a channel U shape which gives amazing stability and rigidity to the opened carton.

tionally bracing odd sized products.

Whenever a carton is designed for a product which is to be packaged in great quantities, the special configuration of brace panel 15A will not normally be required. However, by the means illustrated, the carton may be designed for a variety of articles without additional costs,

and therefore may be supplied to the same manufacturers for a variety of his products or to several different manufacturers for their various products. In such event, the brace panel 15A may be perforated and excess portions of the panels stripped away by the operator when the carton is made up. Thus, this design adds flexibility for further reduction of costs. FIGURE 2 shows a bulb of small size held by long brace panels.

The outer carton is provided with end flaps 35 -and36, as well as the larger flaps 37 and 38 which may be folded on the end and tucked into position, as common to carton manufacturing. This outer carton 10 is then folded over the inner filler as suggested by the FIGURE 7 and secured by adhesive to the surface of strip 26. The carton then has the finished appearance as shown in FIGURE 7 is ready for storage and shipment to the manufacturer.

4 SUMMARY As pointed out in the objects, and explained in construction detail in the foregoing specification, this invention is believed to provide a novel package having shock resistance beyond anything known in the prior art of packaging. The inner package is supported in every direct-ion by tab material cut from the stock in such a manner that resilient projecting tabs hold the inner carton firmly and yet resiliently within an outer casing. The outer casing is thus enabled to be resilient without transmitting direct forces applied to the outer carton shell to the inner carton, and therefore a first line of shock resistance is established by the outer carton. Any forces that are greater than sufficient to be absorbed by the outer carton will then be applied to the tabs and thus a second line of shock resistance defense is established. This construction is considered an air cell spacing on all six sides. Note that the ends have such air cell spacing by reason of the spacing of the central portion of the end tabs 15 and 15a from the closing cover flaps of the carton because of the fold lines 30. That is, the end closures do not set tightly against the outer shell enclosure but rather produce an air cell spacing. This fact exists whether the carton is designed for full occupancy by the material being packaged, or whether the extension is provided on the ends of the tabs as shown in FIGURE 2.

While the instant invention has been shown and described herein in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention which is therefore not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be afforded the full scope of the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a combination outer carton and filler container of one piece construction wherein a blank sheet of material is folded into panels about fold lines from one end to form an inner filler container, and folded about fold lines from the opposite end to form an outer carton surrounding said inner container, the provision of improved means to space and cushion said container in the carton; comprising, along each fold line of the inner filler a series of tabs spaced along said fold line and cut from the adjacent panel sheet, said panel sheet having a portion cut therefrom to form a space around each tab separating the .tab from contact with the sheet from which it is cut, said space provided by a through opening beginning substantially at said fold line and extending inwardly of one adjacent panel and returning to said fold line a distance from the starting point, and a reverse opening of like format-ion extending into the opposite adjacent panel;

whereby, remainder tabs are formed which maintain the plane of the panel opposite the opening and thus there are created two corner projections extending outwardly from the filler container to serve as cushion supports.

2. In the improvement as defined in claim 1, said through opening being a space large enough to allow the resultant tabs to swing without restriction by the parent panel from which they were cut.

3. A combination carton and filler container blank, comprising:

. a planar sheet of foldable mate-rial having a generally rectangular elongated central body portion, one end portion being a filler container blank and the other an outer carton, a fold strip establishing the division of the portions;

said filler container portion having one edge attached to said fold strip, a central fold line about which the filler container is folded upon itself, the other end being an attachment strip with dimensions substantially equal to said fold strip, and adapted to be attached adjacent to said fold strip, said filler container further sectioned into panels by two fold lines flanking said central fold line;

along each fold line of said filler portion a through opening beginning substantially at the fold line and extending inwardly of one adjacent panel and returning to said fold line a distance from the starting point, and a reverse opening of like formation spaced adjacent along the fold line and extending into the opposite adjacent panel, said through openings being a space large enough to allow the resultant tabs to swing without restriction by the parent panel from which they were out;

said resultant tabs extending from the fold line a distance equal to the lateral dimension of said fold strip;

sa-id filler container portion when so folded into a useful open annular wall having a non-circular cross section and presenting said tabs as extensions of the panel from which they were cut; and

two brace panels carried by said sheet in position to be folded into said non-circular section and form References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Kondolf 22939 Belden 22939 Whitehead 2'2939 Tyrseck 22914 Vines L229-39 Kramer 20646 20 GEORGE O. RALSTON, Primary Examiner.

FRANKLIN T. GARRETT, JOSEPH R. LECLAIR,

Examiners. 

1. IN A COMBINATION OUTER CARTON AND FILLER CONTAINER OF ONE PIECE CONSTRUCTION WHEREIN A BLANK SHEET OF MATERIAL IS FOLDED INTO PANELS ABOUT FOLD LINES FROM ONE END TO FORM AN INNER FILLER CONTAINER, AND FOLDED ABOUT FOLD LINES FROM THE OPPOSITE END TO FORM AND OUTER CARTON SURROUNDING SAID INNER CONTAINER, THE PROVISION OF IMPROVED MEANS TO SPACE AND CUSHION SAID CONTAINER IN THE CARTON; COMPRISING, ALONG EACH FOLD LINE OF THE INNER FILLER A SERIES OF TABS SPACED ALONG SAID FOLD LINE AND CUT FROM THE ADJACENT PANEL SHEET, SAID PANEL SHEET HAVING A PORTION CUT THEREFROM TO FORM A SPACE AROUND EACH TAB SEPARATING THE TAB FROM CONTACT WITH THE SHEET FROM WHICH IT IS CUT, SAID SPACE PROVIDED BY A THROUGH OPENING BEGINNING SUBSTANTIALLY AT SAID FOLD LINE AND EXTENDING INWARDLY OF ONE ADJACENT PANEL AND RETURNING TO SAID FOLD LINE A DISTANCE FROM THE STARTING POINT, AND A REVERSE OPENING OF LIKE FORMATION EXTENDING INTO THE OPPOSITE ADJACENT PANEL; WHEREBY, REMAINDER TABS ARE FORMED WHICH MAINTAIN THE PLANE OF THE PANEL OPPOSITE THE OPENING AND THUS THERE ARE CREATED TWO CORNER PROJECTIONS EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM THE FILLER CONTAINER TO SERVE AS CUSHION SUPPORTS. 